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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27925726">Snow, Wars and Celebrations</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titti/pseuds/Titti'>Titti</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Christmas Challenges 2020 [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Oz (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Challenge Response, Christmas, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:55:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>816</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27925726</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titti/pseuds/Titti</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>McManus surprises them on Christmas Eve</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Miguel Alvarez/Ryan O'Reily</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Christmas Challenges 2020 [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2064171</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Snow, Wars and Celebrations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/merelyafigment/gifts">merelyafigment</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for newyearcntdown at LJ/DW. Prompt: Snow</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Oz looked different after their return.  The smell of fresh paint permeated every part of the jail, but the changes were mostly cosmetic.  The people were mostly the same.  McManus had tried to get as many people as possible back, but jails weren't safe places.  Some people had died, some had committed other crimes and were now sitting on death row, some had been shipped somewhere and couldn't be found, but most of the inmates had made their way back.</p><p>Ryan found himself in his usual cell with a very different companion, one Miguel Alvarez.  He wasn't sure at the start.  The last time he'd seen the man, he'd been high as a kite and sucking cock for drugs.  The former offended Ryan more than the later, because you died quickly if you didn't pay attention.</p><p>The past four months, though, had been pretty good.  Oh all right, they'd been better than good.  Alvarez was clean (Torquemada's death had given him the push needed), he was a lot more observant than people believed, and he sucked cock like a pro.  He didn't even mention the fact that Ryan still claimed not to be gay.  </p><p>Ryan most certainly wasn't gay, but there was something different about Alvarez. He certainly couldn't give that reason, because it was too sappy even in his head.  He could hear Cyril making fun of him in his head, and he certainly could hear Beecher making fun of him out loud. Beecher was the only one crazy enough to mention it.</p><p>Today, though, things felt different.  There was a strange energy. McManus had been promising a surprise for Christmas for weeks.  Today was Christmas Eve and the guards made them line up and took them through some new corridors and check points and then they were outside.</p><p>Oh they weren't free, but they were in some fenced yard.  The space was pretty small, but there was fresh air and a lot of fucking snow.  It was the best sight in years, which was why he was standing, back to the wall, staring at everyone.</p><p>Alvarez came after a moment. "What are you doing?"</p><p>"Watching.  Something new, people are bound to do something stupid. Better be prepared," Ryan said.</p><p>Alvarez chuckled as he nudged Ryan's shoulder with his.  "Look at everyone.  They are too shocked to be outside to shank anyone.  Give them a week, when they have the shanks hidden well enough to bring them here.  They didn't know they could today, so you're safe."</p><p>Ryan turned his head to glare at him, but the chico had the balls to grin.  "You're crazier than Beecher."</p><p>"No one is crazier than Beecher," Alvarez said, "but fine, keep on brooding."</p><p>Ryan wasn't brooding, but observing.  Apparently not the person that would end up being the real threat. </p><p>A snowball hit him square in the chest. He blinked and looked at Alvarez.  "What the fuck?"</p><p>"Chill, O'Reily.  It's Christmas, have some fun," Alvarez said, smiling.</p><p>"It's Christmas <i>Eve</i> and I don't like-"  The second snowball hit him straight in the face. "Now you have war."  He pushed the snow into a ball and threw it at Alvarez, just as Beecher seemed to get into the fight and throw balls in both their directions. Ryan half-expected the guards to stop them, but instead more people joined and no one said anything. </p><p>By the time they got tired, they were cold and soaking wet and the sun was going down. The guards seemed to know that it was time to get them inside before a different type of war started.  </p><p>"Fuck, I'm freezing," Ryan said as he took his wet clothes off to change into warm ones.  "This is all your fault."</p><p>"Stop bitching. This was fun. You're always looking at those magazines of yours, but now we get to go outside, even if it's an hour a day. It's pretty cool of McManus to do that."  Alvarez moved closer, pressing his body against Ryan's back and whispering in his ear. "And I can warm you up when there's lights-out."</p><p>Ryan smiled at that.  They could get up to plenty once it got dark in Em City. "Guess it wasn't that bad."  He turned around and they managed to be almost touching without a single part of their body actually making contact.  "But first, we have presents."</p><p>"Aww, did you get me something lovely this year?" Alvarez asked joking.</p><p>"You'll just have to wait and see." Ryan left before Alvarez could ask more.  That bag of Almond Joy hidden in his trunk had cost him a few favors, but it was Alvarez's favorite and he wanted to make tonight as special as it could be.  </p><p>Going to the kitchen to get dinner ready, he had a big smile as he thought of all the ways they would celebrate once they were locked in their pod for the night.</p>
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